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5.19.2016

Summer Ready With Badger Balm (And A Giveaway!)

I know it's hard to imagine with the erratic weather we've had in the East Coast recently, but I'm holding on to the hope that a warm, sunny summer is right around the corner with Badger Balm's new sun and bug care collection.

A small, family-owned business started over two decades ago in New Hampshire, Badger Balm aims to make the safest and most effective products using the finest organic plant extracts, exotic oils, minerals and beeswax. As a certified B-Corporation, it also means that they value the planet and people more than their profits and are committed to bringing positive social change to the world.
I am a big fan of Badger Balm and have tried and loved many of their offerings, including the Damascus Rose collectionfor myself and the Navigator Class collection for my husband. Imagine my excitement when I received two big boxes in the mail last week with their latest formulations!

I had bought SPF30 Unscented Sunscreen Cream last year but found it too thick and greasy and imparted a tell-tale white cast on my skin, so I ended up giving it away. I am so happy to see they reformulated this to a lightweight formula that is more easily-absorbed with a lower zinc oxide content.

The SPF25 Unscented Sunscreen Lotion is a lotion for both the face and body that sits on a base of soothing organic aloe juice and antioxidant-rich organic sunflower oil. Aloe in particular is an excellent moisturizer that acts as a protective layer on the skin and helps it to heal quickly. The active ingredient in the formula is non-nano, uncoated zinc oxide (a safer alternative to conventional chemical filters like oxybenzone and octinoxate that pose toxicity concerns to your body), protecting you from both UVA and UVB rays.

I love that the product pretty much disappears into my skin and doesn't feel like I have anything on nor will it transfer to my clothes, although this is a hint of chalkiness to the touch. It is also non-comedogenic and hypoallergenic and suitable for daily wear, but you may want to note that it is not water-resistant.

Like the Sunscreen Lotion, both the Face Sunscreen and Tinted Face Sunscreen are formulated with aloe juice and sunflower oil and contain non-nano zinc oxide as the active ingredient. The face products have a slighly runnier consistency than the lotion and include a a blend of Seabuckthorn, Rosehip and Pomegranate oils with anti-inflammatory and skin regenerating properties. The formula leaves a matte finish and works well as a make-up primer, although drier skin types may want to wear face oil or moisturizer under,
I find that the untinted one has a brightening effect on the skin, whereas the tinted is a very light pale beige that blends in with my medium skin tone, so it depends on which one you prefer, but I personally like the untinted one more out of the two for the summer. I also learnt that mixing sunscreen with another cream or lotion will dilute and compromise your sun protection, so it's not recommend.ed What I like is not just their clean ingredient lists, but that they are priced very affordably compared to other green beauty sunscreens that can cost you between $30 to $80.

The Anti-Bug Balm is formulated without DEET (making it safe for children and the environment), petrolatum or any other nasties that may be lurking in your insect repellents. The organic mix of citronella, cedar and lemongrass essential oils is not overpowering and will naturally repel insects, while the extra virgin olive oil and castor oil make for smooth application over your skin. It also comes in both stick, tin and spray form, so you can choose between something smaller for spot protection or one that will allow quicker coverage.

I live in a concrete jungle and haven't had the chance to test this product for myself, but if the rave reviews are anything to go by, this product promises to be long-lasting, safe and effective for you and your family. Someone even shared that they left the open tin on the picnic table without applying the actual product on their skin, and it kept the bugs at bay when they were near the table!

The After-Bug Balm contains Colloidal Oatmeal, which is essentially finely-milled organic oats suspended in the balm so that it can be easily applied to and absorbed by the skin, creating a barrier over your skin irritation and temporarily providing relief for bug bites and minor skin irritations. The Seabuckthorn, Tamanu and Lavender essential oils, along with the organic beeswax and sunflower oil work together to nourish and soften your skin, and it doesn't hurt that the stick smells like peppermint candy.

I did not get to test this out on insect bites, but I was able to try it on the usual dry patches on my legs and feet and found it to provide immediate relief. I see this as an all-year round product, since it works to nourish dry skin in the colder seasons and relief itchy symptoms in warmer ones.

Badger Balmto me is synonymous with honest and integrity, and they certainly don't skim on quality and efficacy while offering their products at a low cost. I know I will be a loyal customer for a long time to come!

SUMMER GIVEAWAY

Good news- the generous folks at Badger sent me an extra box, so I am giving away the entire collection reviewed in this blogpost! All you have to do is follow the instructions below and you will be automatically entered to win.

Rules / Guidelines

Giveaway opens Thursday 19 May 2016 12:00 a.m. EST and ends Thursday 20 May 2016 12:00 a.m. EST for U.S. residents only. Entrants must follow the guidelines specified in the instructions above to qualify. A winners will be chosen and contacted on 27 May 2016 via e-mail. If no response is received from the selected winner 48 hours after the announcement, another random winner will be selected. All information provided by entrants is confidential and will not be shared with other third parties.

39 comments

wow so thorough Tricia!! Love all the info on ingredients. Badger was the first green beauty item I really knew about because I was searching for safe sunscreens for my baby at the time. I need to pick some up actually :)

I honestly think they are the best in terms of price and clean ingredients! Good luck with the giveaway, but you may like to know they are also having a Memorial Day sale right now and everything is 15% off :)

Lovely post! I'm excited to try this not that it isn't an anhydrous cream! I really love my Annmarie Gianni sun love too, but like that this is certified and I know the SPF level too. I will be trying if I don't win your giveaway!

This is a fantastic overview post of all the new products; thanks so much for sharing! I'm most excited about the sunscreen lotion - I currently use the regular sunscreen formulation and it's fine for body, but is much harder to rub into the skin on my face. I'm all for giving this new sunscreen lotion a try & seeing how it works on both face and body! Also the bug products look fantastic. I currently use one that's a bit pricey; these are much more affordable!

Thanks for this post! I've been using Badger for years and I have not yet tried the new face sunscreens. I'm happy to have so much feedback. My son goes off to school every day with a stick of Badger sunscreen in his backpack.

I have read about Badger brand products in the past, but was concerned about the thick, chalky feeling that just makes you want to skip the SPF. Its nice to hear that they have reformulated. May need to check it out. Do they have any that are water resistant?

Hi Monica! They do have water-resistant sunscreens here http://www.badgerbalm.com/c-49-active-sunscreen-creams.aspx and here http://www.badgerbalm.com/c-50-sport-sunscreens.aspx :) The reformulated lotion is not though!